Inking mechanism.



No. 64!,9l5. Patented Jan. 23, I900.

- 8. WHITLOCK.

INKING MECHANISM.

(Application filed June 26, 1899.)

2 Sheefs8heat (,No Model.)

v f/L M M Patented Jan. 23, I900.

8. WH|TLDCK. INKING MECHANISM.

(Application filed. June 26, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

EIRS 50-, FHDNLIYHOq WksHlNGYDN, D, C.

W Z-ZWJ npnms PET Nirni) STATES PATENT FFicE;

STURGES VVHITLOCK, OF SHELTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE WHITLOCK MACHINE COMPANY, OF DERBY, CONNECTICUT.v

INKING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,915, dated January 23, 1900. Application filed June 26, 1899. Serial No. 721,808. (No modeh) T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STUBGES WHITLOCK, of Shelton, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have in vented a new Improvement in Inking Mechanism for Flat-Bed Cylinder Printing-Presses; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the, accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute partof this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a broken view, in side elevation,of a printing-press provided with my improved inking mechanism; Fig. 2, a sectional view on the line a b of Fig. 1, showing the adjustable connection between the operating-link and the outer arm of the swinging roller-carrier, as well as the means for adjusting the outer end of the auxiliary distributer-roller; Fig. 3, a similar view on the line 0 d of Fig. 1, showing the means for preventing the lateral deflection of the swinging carrier; Fig. 4, a broken view, in side elevation, of my i mproved inking mechanism as it appears from the inside of the press; Fig. 5, a broken view, partly in plan and partlyin section, showing the operating handle and its connections; Fig. 6, a view in side elevation of the liftingfingers and lever employed for tilting the composition form-rollers.

My invention relates to an improvement in inking mechanisms for fiat bed cylinder printing-presses of the type which are pro-' vided with composition form -rollers, with metal distributor-rollers located above and in contact with the said composition formrollers, and with composition rider-rollers located above and in contact with'the metal distributer-rollers.

One object of my invention is to provide means for facilitating the removal and restoration of the composition form-rollers and for lifting the said rollers out of contact with the inking form or plate when the distributerrollers are removed from contact with them.

A further object of my invention is to locate between the second and third composition form rollers an auxiliary distributerroller made adjustable with respect to the said formrollers to compensate for their shrinkage.

With these ends in view my invention con sists in certain details of construction and described, and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention I employ outer and inner swinging carrier-arms A and A, located upon opposite sides of the press, corresponding in construction and arrangement to each other and, together with their connections, forming the swinging roller-carrier of the inking mechanism. .The upper edges of these carrier-arms are formed with open bearings a a for the reception of the journals of the composition rider-rollers B B, while their lower edges are provided with bearings a a for the reception of the journals of the metal distributor-rollers C C, which are positively driven by gears of any approved arrangement. The said arms are also provided upon their inner faces with vertically-adj ustable brackets D, having at their lower ends open sockets D for the reception of the journals E of the auxiliary distributor-roller E, which it is necessary to make adjustable to meet the shrinkage of the second and third composition form-rollers F F of the series of composition form-rollers F, F, and F It will thus be seen that the composition riderrollers B B, the metal distributor-rollers C C, and the metal auxiliary distributer-roller E are all carried by the swinging roller-carrier,

which is simultaneously raised and lowered by means of an operating-handle G, mounted upon a stud G, secu red to a bracket H, bolted to the frame I of the press, which is furnished with another corresponding bracket H, Fig.

4, located upon the other side of the press.

combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter The said handle G is furnished at its base cated in the said arm and having its upper and lower faces respectively engaged by screws P P mounted in the arm for adj usting it, whereby the carrier may be adjusted with respect to the stands U U, as will be described later on. If desired, other means than set-screws might be employed for the purpose of the described adjustment-such, for instance, as eccentric studs of obvious form and arrangement.

The stud O passes through the block P and through a slot D in the bracket D, as shown in Fig. 2, the elongation of the slot D providing for the vertical adjustment of the bracket D to effect the adjustment of the auxiliary roll E, as before mentioned. The carrier-arm A upon the opposite side of the press is raised and lowered in exact correspondence with the raising and lowering of the carrier-arm A by means of a link Q, connecting the said carrier A with the crank M at the other end of the shaft L, the lower end of the link Q being adj ustably connected with the arm A in precisely the same manner as described for the connection of the lower end of the link Nwith the carrier-arm A, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The pinion J and sector K are so proportioned that the handle G will make a sweep of very nearly three hundred and sixty degrees in raising the roller-carrier sufficiently to permit the composition form-rollers F, F, F and F to be readily and quickly removed from their open socketsf. The long sweep of the handle thus provided for makes the lifting of the carrier much easier than if the parts were geared up, so to speak, so as to move the carrier for the same distance by sweeping the handle through a shorter arc. The stop-pin g, Figs. 1 and 5, mounted in the frame I of the press, is provided for limiting the movement of the handle in opposite directions. It will be readily understood, of course, that when the carrieris raised the composition rider-rollers, the metal distributerrollers, and the metal auxiliary roller are lifted so high above the composition formrollers that the same may be very readily and quickly lifted out of their socketsfand as readily and quickly replaced therein.

In order to provide for entirely clearing the composition form-rollers from contact with the form or ink plate at the time the distributor-rollers and the auxiliary roller are lifted away from contact with the composition formrollers by the lifting of the carrier, I employ a series of four lifting-fingers B, respectively arranged upon a horizontal shaft R in position to extend slightly under the sockets f, provided for the reception of the journals of the inner ends of the composition form-rollers, as shown in the said figure. The said shaft R is journaled in two posts R R in which it has rocking movement, and is provided with an operating-lever S, extending upward above the upper edge of the carrierarm A and formed with a cam-like end S", which when the roller-carrier is raised for lifting the composition riderrollers and the distributer-rollers away from the composition form-rollers is engaged by the upper edge of with the form or ink-plate.

the carrier-arm A, whereby the lever S is pushed outward into the position in which it is shown in broken lines in Fig. 0, with the effect of rocking the shaft R and lifting all of the fingers R, which in turn lift all of the sockets f of the inner ends of the form-rollers, and hence the inner ends of all of the said form-rollers, which are sufliciently tilted to clear them from contact from end to end with the form or inking-plate. When the rollercarrier is lowered again, the cam-like end S of the lever S is disengaged and the composition form-rollers are allowed to return to their normal horizontal positions.

I desire to callattention to the fact that the link N is connected with the carrier-arm A and the sector K in such a manner that when the carrier is in its normal or lowered position the centers of the link will be in line, or substantially in line, with the center of the shaft L, whereby the carrier will be locked in its normal position. 011 the other hand, when the carrier is in its elevated position the centers of the link will also be in line, or substantially in line, with the center of the shaft L, whereby the carrier will be locked in its elevated position, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 1. The stop-pin G is provided for engagement on one side or the other by the handle to prevent the same from going beyond, or substantially beyond, the position in which it brings the centers of the links and shafts into line, as described. Of course it is practically immaterial if the centers of the link are carried beyond this line a short distance, so long as they do not go sufiieiently beyond the line to affect the lifting of the carrier when in its lowered position.

For the purpose of preventing the lateral deflection of the carrier I preferably form the lower edges of the carrier-arms with ribs '1, entering grooves T, formed in the upper edges of the stands U and U, in which the sockets f of the composition form-rollers are mounted, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

By means of the vertically-adjustable block P, before mentioned, the carrier may be regulated in vertical position so as to cause the ribs T to properly enter the grooves T when the carrier is in its normal or lowered position. This adjustment provides for compensating for slight variations in the height of the stands U U or for other discrepancies in construction-and assemblance.

My invention not only provides, as has been explained, for the very ready and quick removal of the composition form-rollers, but also for relieving those rollers when the machine is at rest not only from contact with the auxiliary metal rollers, but also from contact My invention also provides for lifting and virtually retiring the distributer-rollers, as well as the auxiliary roller, when the character of the work being done does not call for their use.

It is apparent that in carrying out my invention some variations from the construetion herein shown and described may be made. I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to such construction, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention. I am aware, however, that, broadly speaking, it is old to mount the distributer-rollers of a fiat-bed cylinder printing-press in a swinging carrier, and also that it is old to provide for lifting the form-rollers of such a press for their clearance from the form or inking-plate, and I do not claim either of those constructions broadly.

Having fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1..In an inking mechanism, the combination with the form-rollers and the distributerrollers thereof, of means for lifting the distributer-rollers out of contact with the form rollers, and means coacting with the corresponding ends of all of the form-rollers for tilting them so as to lift them out of contact with the form or inking-plate at the same time the distributer-rollers are lifted out of contact with them.

2. In an inking mechanism, the combination with the form-rollers and the distributerrollers thereof, of a swinging carrier for the distributer-rollers, means located above the carrier for raising the same, whereby the distributer-rollers may be cleared from the said form-rollers, and devices operated by the movement of the carrier for tilting the formrollers to clear them from the form or inkingplate at the same time the distributer-rollers are cleared from them.

3. In an inking mechanism, the combination with the form-rollers thereof, of vertically-movable sockets therefor, distributerrollers, a swinging carrier therefor, means 10- cated above the carrier for raising the same, whereby the distributor-rollers may be cleared from contact with the form-rollers, and devices coactin g with the said vertically-movable sockets and actuated by the movement of the carrier, whereby all of the form-rollers are correspondingly tilted to clear them from contact with the form or inking-plate at the same time the distributer-rollers are lifted out of contact with the form-rollers.

4. In an inking mechanism the combination with the form-rollers and the distributerrollers thereof, of an instrumentality for carrying the said distributer-i'ollers, and means located above the said instrumentality, and coacting therewith for raising and lowering the same, whereby the distributer-rollers are cleared from the form-rollers, the said means including mechanism performing the twofold office of automatically locking the said carrying instrumentality in its raised and in its lowered positions.

5. In an inking mechanism, the combination with the form-rollers and the distributerrollers thereof, of a swinging roller-carrier in which the distributer-rollers are mounted,

and means located above the carrier for raising and lowering it and for automatically lockin g it in its raised and lowered positions, including a handle, a link connected at its lower end with the carrier, and gearing between the upper end of the said link and the said handle, whereby the movement of the handle effects the raising or lowering of the carrier for the movement of the distributerrollers into or out of contact with the formrollers, and the automatic locking of the carrier in its raised and lowered positions.

6. In an inking mechanism, the combination with the form-rollers and the distributerrollers thereof, of a swinging carrier in which the distributor-rollers are mounted,and mechanism for raising and lowering the carrier, whereby the distributer-rollers may be sufficiently lifted above the form-rollers to permit the ready removal thereof, the said mechanism being located above the said carrier, and comprising a shaft, a crank and a link, all constructed and arranged to automatically lock the carrier in its raised position and in its lowered position when the centers of the link and shaft are brought into line.

' 7. In an inking mechanism, the combination with the form-rollers and the distributerrollers thereof, of a swinging carrier for the distributer-rollers, an adjustable auxiliary distributor-roller mounted in the said carrier at a point between and below the said distributer-rollers for coaction with the said form-rollers with respect to which it is adjustable to compensate for their shrinkage, and mechanism located directly above the carrier and connected therewith for raising the same, whereby the carrier may be raised sufficiently to clear its distributor-rollers and the said auxiliary rollers from the form-rollers so as to permit the same to be readily re moved.

8. In an inking mechanism, the combination with the form-rollers and the distributerrollers thereof, of a carrier in which the said distributer-rollers are mounted, and which comprises two pivotal carrier-arms,and mechanism located above the said carrier for raising and lowering the same, and including a handle, a pinion connected therewith, a sector intermeshed by the said pinion, a shaft upon which the sector is mounted, a link connecting the sector with one of the carrierarms, and operating connections between the other end of the shaft and the other carrierarm, the centers of the link and shaft being brought into line for locking the carrier in its raised and lowered positions.

9. In an inking mechanism, the combination with the form-rollers thereof, of vertically-movable sockets for the journals of the said rollers, lifting-fingers coacting with the said sockets, a shaft upon which the said fingers are mounted, a lever carried by the said shaft for rocking it for the operation of said fingers, and means coacting with the lever for operating it to lift the sockets and hence tilt all of theform-rollers for clearing them from contact with the form or inking-plate.

10. In an inking mechanism, the combination with the form-rollers and the distributerrollers thereof, of stands in which the formrollers are journaled, a swinging carrier in which the said distributer-rollers are mounted, mechanism located above the carrier for raisingthe same, and adjustably connected therewith for regulating the position of the carrier with respect to the said stands when the carrier is in its lowered position, and devices connected with the form-rollers, whereby they are tilted and cleared from the form or inking-plate at the same time the distributer-rollers are cleared from the form-rollers by the lifting of the carrier.

11. In an inking mechanism, the combination with the form-rollers thereof, of two fixed stands in which the said form-rollers-are carrier, mechanism located above the carrier for raising the same, adj ustableconnections between the carrier and the said mechanism, whereby the carrier when lowered is rightly interlocked with the said stands, and means coacting with the-fo'rm-rollers for tilting them to clear them from the form or inking-plate at the same time the distributor-rollers are lifted above the form-rollers by the elevation of the carrier above the said stands.

12. In an inking mechanism for printing presses, the combination with the form-rollers and the distributer-rollers thereof, of a carrier in which the distributer-rollers are mounted, means located above the carrier and connected therewith for raising it, an auxiliary distributer-roller for coaction with the said form-rollers, and brackets secured to the said carrier at a point between and below the said distributer-rollers, and having the auxiliary roller mounted in them and made vertically adjustable for the adjustment of the said auxiliary distributer-roller with respect to the form-rollers to compensate for the shrinkage thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

STURGES VVI-IITLOCK.

Witnesses:

WALTER RANDALL, WINFIELD S; HUSON. 

